The Torah sets forth in this week’s parsha the details of constructing the Menorah. Regarding the lamps of the Menorah, the Torah states (Shemos 25:37) : “You shall make its lamps seven; he shall raise up its lamps so as to give light towards its face.” The pasuk  is difficult to understand. What does it mean to “raise up its lamps”, and how does that “give light towards its face?” Furthermore, what is the “face” of the Menorah? The Mizrachi explains that this pasuk cannot be

The Torah tells us (Shemos 23:5): “If you shall see the donkey of your hater lying under his burden, will you allow yourself to leave it to him?  You must forsake everything and hasten to his aid.” The Torah tells us that despite hating someone, if you see his donkey suffering under its burden, you are obligated to help that person and relieve the donkey from its suffering. There are two positive aspects for helping. First, there is potentially a Torah commandment to prevent

This week’s parsha features the Aseres HaDibros , popularly known as the Ten Commandments. The Torah describes the tenth one: “You shall not covet (לא תחמוד ) your fellow’s house. You shall not covet (לא תחמוד) your fellow’s wife, his manservant, his maidservant, his ox, his donkey nor anything that belongs to your fellow.” (Shemos 20:14). The tenth commandment in Sefer Devarim is slightly different: “And you shall not covet (לא תחמוד) your fellow’s wife, you shall not desire

The Torah tells us that after crossing the Red Sea, the Jews at Mara received their first instructions in the desert. The Torah says that “there He established a decree and an ordinance." (Shemos 15:25). The commentators offer many different explanations for what this “decree” and “ordinance” were. Rashi says that the Bnai Yisroel were given sections of the Torah detailing fundamental commandments: the mitzvos  of Shabbos, regular laws, and the laws of the Red Heifer. Rashi u